Bengaluru: England all-rounder Ben Stokes sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs. 12.50 crore in this year’s IPL Auction that is underway in Bengaluru. The most expensive purchase in IPL history, Stokes was bought by Rising Pune Supergiant for a staggering Rs.14.5 crore last year. Surprisingly, Jamaican cricketer Chris Gayle remained unsold during the first round of auction.

This year’s auction features  580 players in all with 361 of them being Indians — there were 16 top players awarded marquee status and a base price of Rs. 2 crore.

Players bought during auction

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan (Rs 5.20 crore), Shakib-Al-Hasan (Rs.2 crore), Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson (Rs.3 Crore), Manish Pandey (Rs. 11 crore), Carlos Brathwaite (Rs. 2 crore), Yusuf Pathan Pathan (Rs 1.90 crore)

Kings XI Punjab: R.Ashwin (Rs.7.60 crore), Yuvraj Singh (Rs. 2 Crore), Karun Nair (Rs 5.6 Crore), K.L. Rahul (Rs.11 crore), David Miller (Rs 3 crore), Aaron Finch (Rs. 6.20 crore), Marcus Stoinis (Rs. 6.20 crore)

Mumbai Indians: Kieron Pollard (Rs. 5.40 crore)

Rajasthan Royals: Ben Stokes (Rs.12.50 crore), Ajinkya Rahane (Rs. 4 crore), Stuart Binny (Rs. 50 lakh)

Chennai Super Kings: Faf du Plessis (Rs.1.60 crore), Harbhajan (Rs. 2 crore), Dwayne Bravo (Rs. 6.40 crore), Shane Watson (Rs 4.00 crore), Kedar Jadhav (Rs 7.80 crore)

Kolkata Knight Riders: Mitchell Starc (Rs.9.40 crore), Chris Lynn (Rs 9.60 crore)

Delhi Daredevils: Glenn Maxwell (Rs 9 crore), Gautam Gambhir (Rs. 2.80 crore), Colin Munro (Rs 1.90 crore)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Brendon McCullum (Rs 3.60 crore), Colin de Grandhomme (Rs 2.20 crore), Moeen Ali (Rs 1.70 crore).

The bidding was on we went to Press.

TOP BUYS (before lunch break)